The following fortnight's recipes

350-450ml (12-15fl oz) homemade chicken or vegetable stock

6 tomatoes, chopped, or 400g (13oz) can of chopped tomatoes

1 tbsp sun-dried tomato paste

1 small onion, finely chopped

75-125g (3-4oz) leftover vegetables

2 oregano or marjoram sprigs or 1/2 tsp dried oregano

dash of Worcestershire sauce or pinch of chilli powder

Heat the stock. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, onion, leftover

Serves 2 vegetables, and oregano or marjoram. Bring to the boil, simmer for 5-10 minutes. Add Worcestershire sauce or chilli powder to taste and blend in food processor. Serve swirled with 4 tsp yoghurt and scattered with basil leaves.

CREAMY FISH PIE

1-2 potatoes, peeled, in chunks

125-175g (4-6oz) white fish fillet

4-5 tbsp full-cream milk

125g (4oz) button mushrooms, sliced

2-3 tbsp canned "no-added sugarî sweetcorn or baked beans

white pepper or freshly grated nutmeg to taste

Boil the potatoes; meanwhile, place the fish on a large, heatproof plate suitable for use in microwave. Cover with a little of the milk and season with pepper and/or grated nutmeg. Cover it and cook on medium power, checking frequently, until cooked - about 2 minutes per fillet. Place the mushrooms in a small pan with the sweetcorn. Cover and cook gently for a few minutes. Strain off the liquid and keep the vegetables warm. Place the fish with its cooking liquid in an ovenproof dish, and add a little more milk if it looks dry. Top with the mushroom and sweetcorn mixture. Drain the potatoes then mash them with the remaining milk. Season with nutmeg and pile the potato on top of the fish, mushrooms and sweetcorn. Brown under a preheated grill and serve.

SPICED BEEF WITH APRICOTS

1 tsp olive oil

1 onion, thinly sliced

2-3 garlic cloves, crushed

1 cinnamon stick, halved

75-125g (3-4oz) minced beef or chicken

1 leek, sliced

2 apricots, peeled and chopped

1 tsp grated orange rind

juice of 1 orange

2 tsps finely chopped fresh ginger

salt and pepper

Heat the oil in a pan. Add the onion, garlic and cinnamon and fry, covered, until brown. Add the beef or chicken and cook gently, stirring constantly, for five minutes. When the meat is cooked through, add the leek, apricots, grated orange rind, orange juice and ginger. Cover, and cook for 8-10 minutes until the vegetables are soft. Season, remove cinnamon and serve.

COLESLAW WITH PEANUTS

75-125g (3-4oz) fresh cabbage, finely shredded

1 small onion, grated

1 carrot, grated

1 dsp sultanas

50g (2oz) unsalted peanuts

Mix together the cabbage, onion and carrot in a large bowl. Stir in the sultanas and peanuts and season to taste with black pepper. If you like, dress with 2 tsp of olive oil, 1 tsp clear honey and 1 tsp of lemon juice.

LEMON CHICKEN STIR-FRY

1 tsp olive oil

1 small onion, finely sliced

1 large garlic clove, crushed

125g (4oz) diced chicken breast

1 dsp grated lemon rind 5-6 baby corn cobs, halved

75-125g (3-4oz) mangetouts, sliced

1 tbsp lemon juice

pinch of cumin

Heat the olive oil in a frying pan or wok. Add the onion and garlic and cook, tightly covered, until soft. Add the diced chicken, lemon rind and baby corn and continue cooking, covered, for five minutes. Stir in the mangetouts, lemon juice and cumin, cover and cook for five minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Serve with a slice of toasted French bread or plain boiled brown rice.

SEAFOOD ON GRANARY BREAD

125g (4oz) shelled or 250g (8oz) unshelled cooked mixed shellfish

malt vinegar

pepper

Dip peeled shellfish in vinegar and a little pepper, and eat with fresh granary bread, spread with low-fat butter replacement.

KIDNEYS COURTESAN WITH JAMAICAN CABBAGE

If you prefer, replace the kidneys with 175g (6oz) skined chicken breast.

2 tsps olive oil

1 onion, thinly sliced

2 lamb's kidneys, skinned, cored and halved

1/2-1 cm (1/4-1/2in) piece of fresh ginger

dash of Worcestershire sauce

1 large handful of shredded cabbage

1 tbsp lemon juice

white pepper and salt substitute

Heat the oil in a large frying pan, add the onion. Cook, tightly covered, until soft. Add the kidneys, ginger and Worcestershire sauce and cook, covered, for 4-5 minutes over low to medium heat. Transfer kidneys to a plate and keep warm. Add the cabbage and lemon juice to the pan and cook over a medium heat, stirring occasionally. Add hot water if the cabbage seems dry, and season with the white pepper and salt substitute. Stir in the kidneys and serve.

SPICY LENTIL SOUP

50-75 g (2-3oz) red lentils

1 onion, thinly sliced

350-450ml (12-15fl oz) chicken or vegetable stock

1/2 teaspoon medium curry paste

lemon juice, to taste

low-fat crème fraîche and torn coriander leaves, to garnish

Rinse the lentils and place in a saucepan with the onion and the stock. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat; add the curry paste, stir and cover. Cook for about 20 minutes to soften. Purée the soup and add lemon juice to taste. Put in bowls, swirl with crème fraîche and scatter with coriander leaves.

ORANGE PORK

125-175g (4-6oz) pork fillet, trimmed

1 tsp grated orange rind

1 small garlic glove, crushed

crushed seeds from cardamom pods

juice of 1 orange

1 handful of watercress, chopped

1 tbsp chopped parsley

1 tsp olive oil

1 tbsp low-fat crème fraîche or fromage frais

Mix together the orange rind, garlic, cardamom seeds and a little salt and pepper and push into slits in the pork. Heat the oil in a frying pan. Fry pork gently (cover the pan) for 10 minutes on each side. Remove and keep warm. Add the orange juice, crème fraîche or fromage frais, chopped watercress and parsley to the pan, and stir. When heated, pour over the pork and serve with brown rice and green vegetables.

QUICK FISH TARTARE

175-250g (6-8oz) cod fillet

1 tsp olive oil

1 tsp lemon juice

3-4 parsley or fennel sprigs, chopped

1 gherkin, chopped

6-8 capers, rinsed and chopped

salt and pepper

Place the cod on a large heatproof plate. Spoon over the oil and lemon juice and scatter with the herbs, gherkin and capers. Season lightly. Microwave the cod, covered, on medium power for 3-4 minutes, checking frequently. Serve with mashed potatoes.